60 YEARS AGO TODAY:
7/6/66 – Mike D’abo replaces Paul Jones as the lead singer of Manfred Mann
According to Paul Jones, he had given a full year's notice before finally jumping ship. The group's latest single, “Pretty Flamingo” was climbing the US charts ... but Jones HATED the "pop sound" of that record ... and that became the final straw that drove him away.
After considering several other vocalists, including (reportedly) Rod Stewart, Long John Baldry and Wayne Fontana, Jones was replaced by new lead singer Mike D’Abo, who would take over lead vocals on the band’s next release, a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Just Like A Woman.” That one didn't make much of an impression on the charts ... but D'Abo would soon gain recognition for their next hit record “The Mighty Quinn,” also written by Dylan. (D’Abo had some songwriting skills of his own … a year later, he would co-write “Build Me Up Buttercup,” which became a HUGE hit for The Foundations. He also had a hand in co-writing "Handbags and Gladrags," covered, ironically enough, by Rod Stewart!)
In addition to Mike D'abo replacing Paul Jones as lead vocalist, the band shuffled some of its other members as well. Bassist Jack Bruce was replaced by Beatles-Buddy Klaus Voormann. (Not to worry ... Bruce landed on his feet ... he went on to form Cream with Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton. You'll find THAT milestone recognized in an upcoming 60 YEARS AGO TODAY posting.)
After covering a number of Bob Dylan songs in the '60's, Mann reinvented the group as Manfred Mann's Earth Band in the 1970's and found new success covering songs by "the next Dylan," Bruce Springsteen. "Blinded By The Light" (#1, 1977), "Spirit In The Night" (#40, 1977) and "For You" (#92, 1981) all made the national charts with Chris Thomson on lead vocals.
65 YEARS AGO TODAY:
7/6/61 - "Mersey Beat" published its first issue in Liverpool. Started by Bill Harry as a means of keeping tabs on all the rock bands and rock clubs sprouting up all over Liverpool, Harry printed 5000 copies of Issue #1 and distributed it throughout the Mersey area in the clubs, music shops and record stores. (NEMS Record Department, run by the owner's son, Brian Epstein, committed to taking twelve copies of the first issue, only to see them go quickly, requiring reorders of two dozen more ... and then another hundred for distribution, just to keep up with the demand from his customers. Epstein hadn't even met The Beatles yet, much less signed on as their manager when he upped his second order two weeks later to twelve dozen copies.)
Harry went to great lengths to catalog and promote all the appearances of their local talent throughout the local clubs. He then began doing much more in-depth profiles of the bands themselves.
Although Epstein was still unaware of The Beatles' local appeal, the kids certainly knew who they were. Back in town after numerous trips to Hamburg (including a recent recording session there), The Beatles were the regular attraction at the afternoon sessions at The Cavern Club ... and had grown so popular with their fans that Bill Harry asked group leader John Lennon to write a little something for his first issue, describing (in Lennon's own words) "A short diversion on the dubious origins of Beatles, translated from the John Lennon."
Paul McCartney paid tribute to John's initial article in 1997 (some 36 years later) with the release of his tenth solo album, "Flaming Pie."
In Issue #2, Harry told the tale of The Beatles' recent recording session in Germany, backing up singer Tony Sheridan. Soon, the local teens were coming into Brian Epstein's record store requesting copies of the new Beatles single "My Bonnie." Epstein prided himself on being able to supply copies of ANY single the kids were asking for and when, upon further investigation, discovered The Beatles were playing literally right up the street at The Cavern Club, he decided to go have a see for himself as to what all the fuss was about. The rest, as they say, is history.
Who could have ever predicted the heights these four young men would accomplish in the years following this initial bit of press they received 65 Years Ago Today. (kk)
